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100% stupid question, but asking anyway

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Monica

Monica

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Parent of person with diabetes
Hi all

I'm still here, even though I don't post much 😉

My friend asked me yesterday if I could pick up her daughter from school for a week, because she's seen that DAFNE was offered in our town and she'd like to go. Well, she's on mixed insulin twice a day.
So I told her that there was no point in doing DAFNE unless she goes back on MDI. Was I right in telling her that?
 
I don't think it's a stupid question at all and would agree with you - DAFNE stands for 'Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating'. If you can't fine-tune your doses or modify ratios etc. how can you get the most from the course?
 
LOL, that's exactly what I told her :D
 
You are quite right Monica, she no can do DAFNE on mixed insulin. 🙂
 
Completely right, well done......🙂

How come she came off MDI? She must be mad!
 
She came off it, because she wasn't doing MDI right. She was on fixed doses and half the time didn't even bother injecting (from what I've noticed). So the hospital decided she should try mix instead. I did try to dissuade her. She went from 12 down to 9 (I think), so it worked for her, but don't know how it is now. We don't talk D very often.

I got to know her properly since Carol's diagnosis, as I knew before then that she had D. And I always tried to "help" with comments about carb counting. Once she said, oh I had an extra piece of cake I shouldn't have. I said why not? Just have extra insulin. That's the beauty of carb counting.....
The hospital did want her to do the DAFNE a couple of years back, but she wasn't interested then, as her kids come first. I told her to go for it then and I'd help with the kids, but no.....
Well, too late now
 
Mmmmm - the DAFNE course would help her understand the principles of MDI a lot better than she obviously does now.

And it could be what's needed - once you can grasp the logic, which you never will unless someone takes the trouble to explain it properly and you can see it working - ie using yourself as a guinea pig, but STILL doing it 'on the order of the medically trained person'.

And because you also see yourself, and others of course, making mistakes, that makes it a LOT easier when you make a mistake - and nobody actually shoots you for those errors. They are met with sympathy and an explanation (or 27 however many it takes!) of NOT 'What you should have done' but 'How you might have avoided that'.

You weren't 'wrong' per se, but depends on how you delivered that really Monica! LOL
 
But would they allow her to go on that course being on mix? I have a feeling she doesn't want to go back on MDI. I said:
Are you still on 2 (mixed insulin) injections a day? If yes, there isn't much point in doing DAFNE. DAFNE stands for Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating. That will only work if you go back to Rapid and Levemir (or equivalent).

Her reply: Yes, you're right I am on mixed, oh well.

Me:That all right. DAFNE teaches you how to carb count, which you don't do now.
 
Hi Monica

Having been on DAFNE I would be extremely surprised if they let her on DAFNE without MDI BUT they may think that she can benefit from the carb counting Sessions which she should use whatever insulin she is on. That may be why she going on DAFNE because it is the only carb counting course available
 
I don't know, but from what I've heard you basically start from scratch with DAFNE as you are taught to work out your basals and bolus ratios through the course, as well as carb counting, so presumably she could start back on MDI for the course?
 
I don't think this was the hospital's idea this time. I guess she saw a leaflet during her last visit, because she mentioned several other towns nearby doing DAFNE, but maybe I should ask her if the DSN suggested she'd do it.
 
Thing is, she might find she WANTED to go on MDI if someone explained it to her better. I can't imagine how a person wouldn't?

Perhaps she has the erroneous impression about DAFNE that some people have about pumps - THIS will solve all my problems once and for all and I won't have to do diddly different.

If so - you are on a loser there Monica.
 
I am on a loser there.
I have tried my hardest over the years to convince her to carb count. Told her I'd give her lessons. I have given her our carb list too, but I never got very far with her.
I have been quite harsh with her too. She loves her kids to bits and I told her one day that she doesn't want to end up like the woman on "This Morning", who lost both legs due to neglecting D. How would she be able to look after them then?
 
When I was on the Daphne course I'm sure some people were encouraged to change their insulin regiemes to something else. It might be worth her going, because if they offer the chance to go back, with reasons and it's not a new idea to her because she's heard you suggesting it before, she might opt to change her regime to something she can carb count with.

At the very least, she'd learn more about the options available to her so that she has more knowledge in order to decide for herself?

I think you'd be right not to discourage her.
 
Lizzzie;395234} said:
I think you'd be right not to discourage her.
Click to expand...

I agree - even if all it does is make her try to manage her condition better on the regime she is currently on , that would be a bit of an improvement, and if going on the course and talking to people on MDI gives her the confidence/inclination to try it, that is all to the good. At the minimum, you will have given her the chance to consider the possibility of trying MDI. (if nothing else at least you might give her the option of eating a more varied diet as long as the carbohydrate adds up properly for her amounts.

Finally, how much harm can it do giving her the opportunity to meet other people with diabetes and chat to them for a few days - and I'm sure you will enjoy spending time with her daughter - what age is she (her daughter I mean) by way?
 
Her daughter is almost 8 and her son is almost 13.

But I don't know if DAFNE will accept people not on MDI. And it doesn't sound like she actually wants to go back on MDI either.
 
They should accept her and on her first day they'll look at changing her insulin and go over all her options. This coming from someone who did dafne after been type 1 for 24 years and was not that interested in changing much. Well 3 years on Dafne has changed my life. Took many months of feeling ill and bloods going everywhere but finally have it down to a t and I'm so glad I did it. You never know, it might change this woman's outlook on it all. Most folk on my course changed insulins, some. were on 3 injections a day and I was just injecting set amounts 4 times a day and eating to keep my blood up. Funny thing is when I was diagnosed all those years ago my parents were taught to carbon count. Then when I was 10 we were told to stop and go on to set doses. Long before the internet where my parents could have googled for more info. We just trusted the doctors. Crazy. X
 
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Me too Smit, except it was me that was taught, being as I was 22. LOL

Having an actual scientific way of adjusting that fliiping insulin was an absolute revelation to me after 34+ years ! Utterly fab.
 
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